170 Pages 4 B/W Illustrations
    by Eye On Education

    170 Pages 4 B/W Illustrations
    by Eye On Education

    170 Pages 4 B/W Illustrations
    by Eye On Education

    Leadership in America’s Best Urban Schools describes and demystifies the qualities that successful leaders rely on to make a difference at all levels of urban school leadership. Grounded in research, this volume reveals the multiple challenges that real urban elementary, middle, and high schools face as well as the catalysts for improvement. This insightful resource explores the critical leadership characteristics found in high-performing urban schools and gives leaders the tools to move their schools to higher levels of achievement for all students—but especially for those who are low-income, English-language learners, and from various racial and ethnic backgrounds. In shining a light on the essential qualities for exceptional leadership at all levels of urban schools, this book is a valuable guide for all educators and administrators to nurture, influence, support, and sustain excellence and equity at their schools.

    Contents

    Acknowledgements

    Meet the Authors

    Preface

    Part One: Schools that Achieve Outstanding Results for All Students

    Chapter 1: Excellent and Equitable Learning Results

    Evidence of Excellence and Equity

    Leadership for Excellence and Equity

    Summary

    What It Is & What It Isn’t: Excellent and Equitable Learning Result

    School Self-Assessment Tool: Is Your School Achieving Excellence and Equity?

    Chapter 2: Positive Transformational Culture

    Positive Transformational Culture as the Foundation

    The Power of a Coherent Educational Improvement System to Create and Sustain

    Summary

    What It Is & What It Isn’t: Positive Transformational Culture

    School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Have a Positive Transformational Culture?

    Chapter 3: Access to Challenging Curricula for All Students

    Focus on Deep Understanding

    Writing to Promote Understanding

    Access to Art, Music, Physical Education and Other Non-Tested Subjects

    Rigor for All Students

    The Power of a Coherent Educational Improvement System to Ensure Curricular Rigor

    Summary

    School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Provide Access to Challenging Curricula for All Students?

    Chapter 4: Effective Instruction that Results in Engagement and Mastery

    Common Practices

    Making students feel valued and capable

    Leading students to love learning

    The Power of a Coherent Educational Improvement System to Ensure Effective

    Summary

    What It Is & What It Isn’t: Effective Instruction that Results in Engagement and Mastery

    School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Provide Effective Instruction that Results in Engagement and Mastery?

    Part Two: Leadership that Promotes Outstanding Results for All Students

    Chapter 5: Leadership that Influences the Desire to Change

    Framing a Reason for Change that Resonates

    Specifying Who Will Benefit from the Change

    Basing Every Decision on the Fundamental Reason for Change

    Summary

    What It Is & What It Isn’t: Leadership that Influences the Desire to Change

    School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Leadership Positively Influence the Desire to Change?

    Chapter 6: Leadership that Influences Belief in the Capacity to Improve and Succeed

    Modeling Belief that All Students Will Improve and Succeed

    Finding and Celebrating Evidence that Cultivates Belief

    Confronting Disbelief

    Summary

    What It Is & What It Isn’t: Leadership that Influences Belief in the Capacity to Improve

    School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Leadership Positively

    Chapter 7: Leadership that Influences Clarity about Roles and Responsibilities

    Clear, Consistent, and Regular Communication of Expectations

    Prioritizing and De-prioritizing Roles and Responsibilities

    Promoting Inquiry and Flexibility

    Summary

    What It Is & What It Isn’t: Leadership that Influences Clarity about Roles and Responsibilities

    School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Leadership Influence Clarity about Roles and Responsibilities?

    Chapter 8: Leadership that Builds Capacity to Succeed

    Identifying and Responding to the Reasons for the Lack of Effectiveness in Assuming Essential Roles and Responsibilities

    Distributing Leadership to Build Capacity

    Providing Enough Support to Reduce Fear and Magnify Enthusiasm

    Integrating Collaboration, Professional Development, Observation and Feedback

    Summary

    What It Is & What It Isn’t: Leadership that Builds Capacity to Succeed

    School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Leadership Build Capacity to Succeed?

    Epilogue

    Equity and Excellence are Attainable

    The Pursuit of Excellence and Equity is Difficult

    Implications for School Leader Preparation

    Implications for School Districts

    Biography

    Joseph F. Johnson, Jr. is Dean of the College of Education, Executive Director of the National Center for Urban School Transformation, and the QUALCOMM Professor of Urban Education at San Diego State University, USA.

    Cynthia L. Uline is Professor Emeritus of Educational Leadership and Director of the National Center for the 21st Century Schoolhouse at San Diego State University, USA.

    Lynne G. Perez is Deputy Director of the National Center for Urban School Transformation at San Diego State University, USA.

    "We have known for many years that leadership matters, and in this important new book we learn what school leaders do to make a difference for all children in urban schools. For educators, policymakers, and parents looking for ways to improve schools, this book will be an invaluable resource."

    -Pedro A. Noguera, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Education, Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, UCLA